143 – Night Bloom Pact -2-

“If Clara’s values are such, I am curious, even if it is not the norm in your own country, are you in a position to accept polygamy?”

“Ah…”

Ichinose understood the gravity of the moment. He wanted to dedicate the utmost concentration and caution to his response.

Even if the silence stretched, Sion and Clara would understand.

‘Good men are so hard to even approach. It’s only been a few months since I enrolled, and yet there are so many women who are sincere.’

Biting his lower lip, Ichinose pondered for a long while, then lifted his gaze to stare blankly at the cafe’s ceiling.

He lowered his head, his eyes settling on Clara, who was nibbling away at her pastry.

“Clara-ssi.”

“Yes?”

“You are from Jeno, so I imagine your values on love and marriage are closer to my own. Is there a reason you accepted it?”

“…”

“Or, from the start, did you not harbor any aversion to polygamy?”

That wasn’t it, the girl shook her head vehemently.

Her twin purple tails swished back and forth.

“T-there was a, a reason…”

“Would you be willing to share it?”

Clara glanced hesitantly at Sion beside her, then parted her lips.

“J-Juyeon-nim said… that the one approaching needs to understand the culture…”

“!”

Indeed, Juyeon-nim, whom they revered. Ichinose felt a sense of clarity wash over him.

The fact that Clara was close enough to confide in Juyeon hadn’t even occurred to him.

“And… I want to be with Sion-unni, too…”

Hearing this, Sion smiled and looked at Clara.

Sion’s gentle smile, rarely seen, was proof of how deep the bond between the two was.

Sion took Clara’s fair hand under the table as she continued the conversation.

“We would like to share a little more of our thoughts with Ichinose-nim. First, Clara and I are unaware of Rohan’s thoughts.”

“…What exactly does that mean?”

“It means we can’t be certain how Rohan feels about us. Are you certain, Ichinose-san?”

Shion and Clara, they were not.

If they were certain Rohan loved them as women, they wouldn’t even be contemplating this… this method of persuasion.

“How Rohan feels about *me*…”

Ichinose thought it over carefully.

Judging by how much he did for me, some degree of fondness was certainly there, wasn’t it? But anything beyond that was a mystery.

From the moment we first met, there was an inexplicable gentleness.

Almost a mysterious familiarity, as if he had known me all along.

“We both have a burning desire to confess our feelings. But… we agree it’s best to confess when we’re *sure*.”

“So, a confession is an act of conviction, not confirmation.”

“Exactly.”

“…”

Ichinose couldn’t fault Shion and Clara’s cautious approach.

The mere thought of confessing to Rohan and being rejected sent a shiver down her spine, and a cold sweat trickled down her back.

Without realizing it, her entire body tensed, her grip tightening on the hilt of her sword.

“Since Rohan is from the South, wouldn’t a united front of well-prepared women at least slightly increase our chances… Even if it’s pathetic, we want to seize that possibility.”

Clara was also in such state, but Shion, being an elf, could not turn back from such strong feelings . She had already ripped off the steering wheel and thrown it away.

Even if it meant crawling on the ground, she just wanted to be loved at Rohan’s side.

“Clara and I are trying our best to become the kind of woman Rohan desires. We’re studying the training, the aesthetics, and even the cooking he prefers.”

“…”

“Even with all that, we’re often lacking, making mistakes. We’re hoping you’ll join us, Ichinose-san, and lend your help.”

Ichinose fell silent, meeting Shion’s gaze, so earnest and sincere.

The two girls before her were building a system to win Rohan over.

So unlike herself, just now realizing her affection, idly lost in daydreams. She realized that the thought of naturally becoming something more with Rohan was merely an illusion.

And above all, Clara was given advice from leader.

The words of a respected figure resonated deeply with the girl’s heart.

*’While polygamy is certainly off-putting… forcing monogamy on Rohan, when we’re the ones making the first move, is also a sign of disrespect.’*

Of course, she could try to win Rohan over on her own.

But could she really surpass those two girls that way? And if another woman with unique charms joined their ranks later on, she would undoubtedly be at a disadvantage.

“…”

Ichinose considered, with a cold detachment, what Rohan would choose if he were in her place.

Sadly, lacking any certainty of victory, she had no choice but to raise the white flag.

“Would there be advantages to joining hands with you all?”

That question alone was proof Ichinose had crossed over.

Shion continued her explanation calmly.

“Rohan usually comes to the mansion for dinner. We train together, and on weekends, like today, we often have breakfast together too.”

“O-Oh, oppa often cooks for us because he feels bad that he uses the mansion….”

Ichinose, who had been listening intently, blinked, startled.

These two were truly deeply entwined with Rohan.

“If Ichinose-nim were to join hands, it wouldn’t be a problem for you to come and go from the mansion like Rohan does. It’d just be a matter of becoming close enough. And truthfully, we also have a desire to bridge the distance with Ichinose-nim.”

“U-Unni, I want to get close to you…!”

“Moreover, there will definitely be times when you’re alone with Rohan.”

“Uh-huh…!”

Clara punctuated the statement with an emphatic nod, confirming its truth.

Ichinose, drawn in by conditions more compelling than a succubus’s charm, lapsed once more into silence.

She looked at the remaining coffee.

She thought quietly.

The answer Ichinose would voice was already decided.

“Please, take care of me.”

At the answer they had been waiting for, Shion and Clara smiled brightly.

If Ichinose had been at odds with them, the distance between them would have naturally grown, of course.

Rohan would have disliked that situation itself, so they had been full of worry, but it was a relief. It felt like they had just crossed a huge mountain.

The three exchanged numbers on the spot.

They created a new group to exchange messages.

··

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Peace settled between the three who had brought the situation to an ideal conclusion.

As the tension eased, Shion finally felt hunger and swallowed the salmon on her brunch dish with a gulp.

Then she continued with the topic she had been curious about.

“To be asking this now feels like putting the cart before the horse. But, might I inquire about something?”

“Of course.”

“I understand that Tenkaiten (天外天), managed by Mr. Ichinose Jun, is the largest corporation in the Samhwa Nation.”

“That’s right. Just as you say.”

“Therefore, I’m curious if Mr. Ichinose has freedom. I’ve heard that many prestigious martial families or powerful figures often find themselves in arranged marriages.”

It just so happens that Shion and Clara even exchanged numbers with Momo.

Judging by the air he gives off, the chances of that seem slim, but there was still a sliver of hope.

There’s nothing quite as certain as hearing it from the person themselves.

“I’m aware that I’ve received many marriage proposals up until now… but, needless to say, my parents rejected them all. My father and mother want me to live as I desire.”

“That’s fortunate. You have the freedom to seek happiness.”

“It seems like you and Oppa are, destined…!! Heehee…”

Ichinose gave a slight smile at Clara’s words.

The way she so naturally says such embarrassing words, Clara truly felt like an ethereal maiden.

“I have one last question that’s been on my mind.”

“Feel free to ask comfortably. Isn’t that what this is all about?”

Ichinose was taking a keen interest in Shion, who was surprisingly talkative.

The different sides of these two girls were slowly starting to come into focus.

“I understand that you are close to Ms. Noah Frozenheart.”

Ichinose nodded. It wasn’t a fact he would deny.

The decision of whether or not to answer would come after hearing the question.

“Could it be that Noah-nim also…”

Before the sentence could be finished, Ichinose shook his head.

“No. That’s absolutely not the case.”

“You’re certain, then.”

“Yes. Though she probably thinks of Rohan as a good friend.”

Noah can’t hide her emotions.

If she held feelings for him beyond friendship, she might have charged headfirst into it.

‘Of course, even that action is predictable.’

Ichinose, who had been with her since childhood, had never seen Noah like a man in that way.

There had been many men confessing to her, but Noah had coolly rejected them all.

‘What if Noah… liked Rohan?’

Would not everyone here be thrown into a frenzy?

Ichinose could only vaguely entertain such a conjecture.

Sion, seeing Ichinose’s puckered lips and continued imagination, quirked a smile.

A resolution had been made; it was time to narrow the distance.

“Now that things have come to this, would you like to go to the mansion? Rohan should still be there.”

“…Would that be alright?”

“Rohan was just talking about our common ground, so I think he’ll be happy to see you.”

“Then… please.”

It was Sunday, and she had an excuse to meet Rohan.

An elated Ichinose hurriedly gathered her belongings and emptied her glass.

Sion and Clara smiled, feeling as though they were looking into a mirror.